5 Myths About Veganism You Need To Debunk Right Now

Perhaps you think the food is tasteless or you can’t live without meat? Let us try to change your mind

By
Karina S. Witjaksono on Jun 07, 2020

Pescetarianism, vegetarianism, veganism—there are so many dietary lifestyles to choose from now. But just as I knew nothing about any of these before studying abroad, I’m sure many other Indonesians don’t know about them either simply because they are not part of our culture.

If you’re exploring the idea of going vegan or you’re simply curious about it, you’ve come to the right place. Google will tell you all about what veganism entails, but we are going to debunk the five myths people commonly associate with this dietary lifestyle. Are you ready?

Vegan food is tasteless or disgusting…

Did you know you can make fake bacon from coconut flakes? Or that you can actually make really delicious cheese sticks? You might have heard about the occasional vegetarian burger, but there’s more to vegan food than chickpeas patties and green juices. There are as many great vegan recipes as there are others. If you’re looking to try something new, Lauren Toyota of Hot for Food is your go-to cook!

…Especially desserts

Leave it to Ella Woodward to make something so healthy incredibly addictive! If your sweet tooth is what’s stopping you from turning vegan, the brains behind Deliciously Ella will change your mind. Who would have thought you can make a rich vegan hot chocolate or healthy carrot cake from scratch?

Why stop eating meat when veganism has no benefits anyway?

There’s something about not eating meat that literally lightens up your body. Maybe it has something to do with the amount of fresh fruit and vegetables you consume upon turning vegan. Aside from feeling good about yourself, reducing your meat consumption actually has environmental benefits as well. Whether you’re thinking of changing dietary lifestyles or you’re simply curious, the Cowspiracy documentary will definitely spark up your interest.

Humans can’t live without lactose

The one thing I loved about living in the Netherlands is how much my friends knew about food. They always taught me something new each day, even about veganism. For example, did you know that adult humans used to not able to consume milk—or lactose for that matter. Thousands of years ago, lactase production in human bodies was said to have stopped once we reach adulthood, but it all changed due to evolution. So if there was a time when we can survive without milk, we certainly can now too (with the right replacements of course).

"My friend went on a vegan diet and gained 10kg"

And last but not least, this is the best argument of all. Whether you’re a vegan or a full-on carnivore, everyone has to learn about the food they eat to obtain the effect you want. Think about it like changing majors from Fine Arts to Economics—you’re bound to struggle to ace those tests at first, but once you study more, you’ll get the hang of it. Instead of eating starchy vegetables like potatoes, opt for vegans’ go-to vegetable, zucchini!